Groz: Mariners’ next order of business? Pick up All-Star Yusei Kikuchi’s option
Jul 6, 2021, 11:45 AM
The MLB trade deadline is approaching, but when it comes to an important move the Seattle Mariners need to make, Dave “The Groz” Grosby is looking a few months further into the future.
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That would be the four-year team option waiting after this season for left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who was just named an MLB All-Star for the first time in his career on Sunday.
“Some said it was too early or too much. Well, I beg to differ,” The Groz said in his latest edition of Just a Minute for 710 ESPN Seattle’s YouTube page.
Is it too early to make a determination? There could be an argument for that as Kikuchi, 30, is in his third MLB season and enjoying the first period of sustained success since he joined the Mariners in 2019.
What about too much? Kikuchi’s four-year option would be worth $66 million, an average annual salary of $16.5 million.
This season, Kikuchi is 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, and he’s averaging 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings. His 11 quality starts is tied for the most by any left-handed pitcher in MLB this season, and he ranks among the American League leaders in quality starts (tied for third), WHIP (fourth) and ERA (seventh). Considering most pitchers who produce numbers like that season in and season out and are currently on long-term deals making upwards of $30 million a year, Groz is fully on-board with the Mariners committing to Kikuchi past this season.
“I believe Kikuchi has figured it out,” he said. “I believe he is one of the two or three top lefties in the league. Unless that changes in the second half of the season or he gets hurt, $16.5 million a year is a bargain for a pitcher like that.”
Listen to Groz’s full thoughts in the video embedded at the top of this post.
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